Back to Dystopia: A Personal Reckoning with Philippine Politics

In the ever-shifting landscape of Philippine politics, the same faction has emerged draped in pink, but beneath the bright hue lies a familiar face. This so-called “Pink” movement, which rose to prominence during the 2022 elections, is often portrayed as a fresh wave of reformist idealism. But for many of us who have lived through decades of political theater, it is unmistakably the reincarnation of the Yellow bloc, only rebranded, repackaged, but ideologically unchanged. But this time, having unmasked their bitter lack of integrity, they now stand in defense of the son of the very dictator they once so fervently condemned.

The Yellow movement, once a symbol of democratic resistance, gradually lost its moral high ground through years of hypocrisy, selective justice, and entanglements with the very oligarchs it once vowed to oppose. Despite its fall from grace, it never truly vanished. With the backing of Western liberal institutions and media, it simply morphed, donning a new color, but carrying the same agenda.

Today, the Pink faction’s mission is singular and unrelenting: to erase the legacy of Rodrigo Duterte from the national memory. They return to the political stage armed with narratives of extrajudicial killings, corruption, and authoritarianism - stories that, to many of us, feel exaggerated, decontextualized, or outright fabricated. These tales are amplified by international media outlets eager to cast the Philippines as a cautionary tale of populist rule, often without understanding the complexities on the ground.

Once again, they claim the mantle of moral superiority. They speak as if they alone hold the keys to truth and justice, while branding Duterte supporters, often referred to as DDS, as ignorant, hysterical, or blindly fanatical. It’s a familiar script. I know it well, because for over thirty years, I was part of it.

I once believed in the Yellow cause. I defended it, voted for it, and placed my hopes in its promises. But after decades of stagnation, broken reforms, and performative virtue, I came to a painful realization: the ideals I clung to were built on illusions. The progress we were promised never came. The same families remained in power. The same injustices persisted.

Then came Duterte. He is a man who did not speak in polished soundbites or cater to elite sensibilities, but who offered something the country had long been denied: decisive action. He confronted the drug cartels, the entrenched oligarchs, the insurgents, and the foreign interests that had long meddled in our affairs. He was perfect for his role because he was effective. For the first time in decades, many Filipinos felt seen, heard, and protected.

Of course, such a leader made powerful enemies. Those who had grown accustomed to privilege, violence and impunity, whether in media, business, or politics, saw their interests threatened. And so, a campaign was launched to demonize him, both at home and abroad. Stories of state-sponsored killings and tyranny flooded the global press, often without nuance or verification. The narrative was set: Duterte was an evil strongman, a villain, and a danger to democracy.

But for millions of ordinary Filipinos, he was a symbol of long-overdue justice. He dared to challenge the untouchables. He pursued tax-evading elites, dismantled private monopolies, and brought order to lawless regions where soldiers and policemen had long been targets of insurgent violence.

Now, with Duterte politically sidelined and facing international scrutiny, the old wolves and snakes are reasserting themselves. The same forces that once failed the nation are back, emboldened, unrepentant, and determined to reclaim what they lost. The Pink movement, far from being a new dawn, is the old order in disguise. Their goal is not healing or unity, but vengeance. And they are working tirelessly to ensure that the Duterte legacy is not just challenged, but obliterated.

In doing so, they are not merely trying to rewrite history, they are paving the way for a return to the very dysfunction that Duterte sought to dismantle. The abuses, the corruption, the elite impunity - they are creeping back, shielded by the same moral rhetoric that once masked the Yellow regime’s failings.

I am not DDS. I am not a blind follower of any man. But I am a Filipino who has seen the cycles of betrayal and reinvention. I know what it means to believe in something, only to discover it was a lie. And I know what it means to hope again, even when the world calls that hope dangerous.

We are back in dystopia because of one weak spoilt drug addict. The forces that thrive on our division, our poverty, and our silence have returned. And unless we learn to see through the colors and the slogans, they will continue to rule in disguise.